Core elements

The programme is made up of four courses that cover an extensive range of content, including:

• Health and safety, food safety, and security      
• Introduction to the hospitality and catering industry and standard operating procedures for work roles in a commercial kitchen                            
• Introduction to nutrition, healthy foods and special diets
• Effective professional interactions with colleagues, managers and customers
• Catering operations, costs and menu planning
• A selection of larder foods, such as: salads, and appetisers
• An exciting range of hot kitchen foods such as: soups, sauces, meat, fish and seafood, vegetables dishes
• Delectable bakery and dessert items such as: breads, cakes, biscuits, pastry parfaits and other hot and cold desserts
• You will be guided to create your own menus for the restaurant/events
• Industry experience

Our facilities

Our training kitchen is well equipped to meet your training needs. The modular design on which our facility is based provides moveable work stations and allows it to be used not only as a practical classroom, but also as a production kitchen for our restaurant, Tutoro.

Class sizes on the professional cookery programmes are much smaller than in larger polytechnics, which means that you will enjoy lots of individual tuition from tutors. This is a real plus when studying, as the extra attention that you get from your tutors can be of enormous benefit.

Further study options

This programme opens the door to further study in cookery or more specialised related fields, such as:

• NZ Diploma in Hospitality Management (Level 5 or Level 6)
• NZ Certificate in Butchery Operations Management (Level 5)
• Bachelor of Applied Hospitality and Tourism Management (Level 7)
• Specialisation in Bakery, or as a Pastry Chef

Career opportunities

• Professional chef
• Cook - quantity cookery / industrial catering
• Kitchen assistant / manager
• Industry food representative

Programme structure and workload

An intensive programme of study that combines face-to-face theoretical, practical and online lessons including integrated work place learning and student self-directed components.

There are extensive practical classes in Tai Poutini Polytechnic's commercial kitchen along with live services undertaken in Tai Poutini Polytechnic's Tutoro training restaurant.

Entry requirements

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Applicants should be a minimum of 18 years old, and have achieved NCEA level 2 or the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (level 3).
• Applicants over the age of 20 years will be considered where they can demonstrate the ability to succeed in the programme.
• Applicants must be able to confirm that they will have the physical capability to comply with relevant health and safety requirements and can safely withstand 4-8 hour sessions of working in the commercial kitchen environment.
• For applicants whom English is not their first language may also be required to provide evidence of English language skills as listed. IELTS 5.5 Academic (no lower than 5.0 in ant subtest) issued within the last 2 years. For acceptable alternatives refer to the English Proficiency Outcomes Chart.

Special note

• Special Entry may be granted where evidence exists that the applicant can successfully complete the programme.

Additional costs

You will need to purchase your own chef kit, that includes knives and a uniform (we will give you the details of our suppliers).

You should expect to spend approximately $800 on programme specific equipment. This can be covered by the course-related costs section of your student loan (if you are eligible).  You can borrow up to $1,000 even if you are not drawing down the tuition fees component of your student loan, e.g. those students who are fees-free.

Enrolments

When you apply to study with Tai Poutini Polytechnic, you will be enrolled with Te Pūkenga, the national network of vocational and applied education in Aotearoa New Zealand. You will learn in the same way, in the same place, and with the same people. The great news is that this enables us to share skills and knowledge across a network of passionate education providers, to better help you succeed. Enrolling in programmes with Tai Poutini Polytechnic, means that you will graduate with a Te Pūkenga qualification.